Hand operated pole climbing aid



July 8, 1958 J. M. JOHNSON HAND OPERATED POLE CLIMBING AID Filed Jan. 8,1957 John M. Johnson IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent HAND OPERATED POLE CLIMBING AID John M. Johnson,Lindsborg, Kans. Application January 8, 1957, Serial No. 633,013 2Claims. (Cl. 227-24) This invention relates to a pole climbing aid andmore particularly to a safety device adapted to be used by a lineman orother person of similar occupation when climbing a pole.

Linemen or persons of other similar occupations who are required toclimb poles upon which wires are strung, and in order to do so wearclimbing spikes having spurs which penetrate the pole to normallyprevent the feet from slipping, are often liable to accidents should thespikes become disengaged from the material of the pole. In order toprevent accidents, the present invention provides means for supportingthe entire weight of the pole climber even though the spikes on theshoes become disengaged from the material 'of the pole. I

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an easilyoperable pole climbing aid which can be readily raised or lowered duringascent or descent of the pole in a convenient manner and which may beutilized to prevent accidents even if the pole climber becomes ill whileclimbing the pole.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a poleclimbing aid that is adapted to be utilized equally well for varioussizes of poles.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in theprovision of a pole climbing aid which is of simple construct-ion,inexpensive to manufacture, and substantially foolproof in use.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of theinvention which will become apparent as 1 the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by this pole climbing aid, a preferred embodimentof which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way ofexample only, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the pole climbing aid comprisingthe present invent-ion;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the pole climbing aid;

Figure 3 is a sectional detail view taken on the plane of line 33 inFigure 2 illustrating in particular the construction of the swingablelever and chain utilized in the invention; and

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view as taken along the plane of line 4-4in Figure 3 illustrating in particular the construction of the springpressed hook.

With continuous reference to the accompanying drawings wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,reference numeral is used to generally designate a telephone ortelegraph pole or the like in which the pole climbing aid generallydesignated by the reference numeral 12 is adapted to be utilized. Thepole climbing aid 12 includes a pair of lever arms which extenddivergently and are indicated at 14 and 16 which are interconnected byan arcuate central connecting portion 18 provided with teeth as at 20 ofsuitable shape such as the conical shape shown. The teeth are adatped tobite into the wood or other material from which the pole 10 isconstructed it being recognized that the teeth may extend at differentangles so as to firmly secure the pole climbing aid 12 to the pole 10when the teeth are engaged with the material ofthe pole 10. a

The lever arms 14 and 1 6 are provided with angulated portions 22 and 24to vertically olfset and raise the central connecting portion 18 fromthe ends of the lever arms 14 and 16 remote therefirom. These ends ofthe lever arms as indicated at 26 and 28 are upwardly arcuately curvedand have welded or otherwise secured thereto eyelets 30 and 32 which arearranged so as to easily permit attachment of a safety belt indicated at36 to the eyelets and to retain the safety belt in a secure manner.

Brace bars 38 and 40 are eiher integrally formed with the ends 26 and 28or welded thereto and also welded to the lever arms 14 and 16 adjacentthe junctions of the offset angulated portions 22 and 24 with the otherportions of the lever arms.

'Pivotally secured to the lever arm 14 by means of a pivot pin 48extending through the furcations 50 of one end thereof is a linksupporting arm 52 having a chain 54 secured to the end 56 thereof. Thislink supporting arm 52 keeps chain 54 from sagging and dragging againstpole 10 while climber is ascending the same. The chain is adapted to beengaged within a clip 58. This makes .a pivot point for fulcrum forlever arm 16. Pivot point for leverarm 14 is at pin 48. This clipincludes a keeper 60 and a spring pressed retainer 62.normally urged bya spring 64 into engagement With retainer 62 to retain the chain in theclip 58. Hence, dependent upon the size of the pole 10 which is beingclimbed, one of the links of the chain 54 will be engaged with thekeeper 60.

It is to be recognized that the angulated portions 22 and 24 providesmeans whereby upon rocking of the lever arms 14 and 16, there will beprovided an opening of increased size whereby the pole climbing aid 12may be easily raised or lowered. However, when any weight is appliedupon the ends as at 26 and 28 of the lever arms 14 and 16 (26 and 28being the hand grips that climber used to bring about the rocking motionnecessary for ascending or descending pole), the teeth 20 will bite intothe pole l0 securely because of lever rocking arms pivoting on clip 58and pin 48, thus holding the pole climb: ing aid in position. Thisweight may be applied through eyelets 30 and 32 whereupon the handlesformed by the end portions of the lever arms 14 and 16.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is dot desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suiable modifications and equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pole climbing aid comprising a yoke for encompassing a pole, saidyoke including a pair of lever arms interconnected by a centralconnecting toothed portion, said lever arms having :angulated portionsupwardly offsetting said toothed portion from the ends of said leverarms remote from said toothed portion, and chain means secured to one ofsaid lever arms and detachably secured to the other of said lever arms,said chain means including a link supporting arm pivoted at one endthereof to said one of said lever arms, a chain secured to the other endof said ling supporting arm, and a clip secured to said other lever armdetachably engaging said chain.

2. A pole climbing aid comprising a yoke for encompassing a pole, saidyoke including a pair of arms interconnected by a central connectingtoothed portion, said lever arms having angulated portions upwardlyoffsetting said toothed portion from the ends of said lever arms remotefrom said toothed portion, chainmeans secured to one of said lever armsand detach-ably secured to the 2,842,300 l V I f 3 other of said leverarms, said chain means including a References Cited in the file of thispatent link supporting arm pivoted at one end thereof to said UNITEDSTATES PATENTS link supporting arm, a clip secured to said other leverarm detachably engaging said chain, said clip being spring 1 gl g gi resed into a lo ked s't'on, e e1 t ec red t said I 0 m p P0 11 y H S u 0 52,392,538 Knudsen Jan. 8, 1946 lever arms, and a safety belt engagingsaid eyelets.

FOREIGN PATENTS 28,060 Australia July 28, 1930

